Manik Saha takes oath as Tripura CM; CPI(M), Trinamool see a change in 2023

Saha is a reputed dental surgeon-turned politician, who joined BJP in 2016 after a brief stint in Congress

Senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member, Manik Saha took oath as the new Chief Minister of Tripura Sunday but no other minister was sworn in reportedly due to the growing disgruntlement among a few MLAs over the new appointment.

Clad in a blue kurta, 69-year-old Saha took oath in Bengali at 11.35 am at Raj Bhawan at Agartala. Biplab Kumar Deb, who was made to resign by BJP on Saturday, was seen close to Saha during the swearing-in ceremony. Sources said soon after the ceremony, Saha met the MLAs and went into a huddle to form his council of ministers but the names are likely to be finalised late Sunday.

Sources said a few MLAs including some in Deb's cabinet are unhappy over the party's decision to pick a Rajya Sabha member for the top job, sidelining senior MLAs and experienced ministers. Saha's appointment may not help BJP much before next year's Assembly elections given that many MLAs and ministers had openly protested against Saha as the state unit president. Saha is believed to be a loyalist of Deb.

Saha is a dental surgeon-turned politician who joined BJP in 2016 after a brief stint in Congress. He was made the party's state president in 2020 and was elected to the Rajya Sabha in March of this year. "My focus will be development, development and development and take forward the vision of the Prime Minister for Tripura and the Northeast. Improving law and order situation will also be another focus area," the new CM told reporters at Agartala after Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya administered the oath of office and secrecy.

Sources said a few BJP MLAs, who aired their anger on Saturday after Saha was named as the new CM, met separately on Saturday. "Some of them may take a drastic step in protest."

Deb may be given the responsibility to lead the party for the Assembly elections.

Opposition smells change in 2023

The Opposition CPI(M) and Trinamool Congress said that a change of CM would not undo the failure to fulfill the promises BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi made before 2018.

"The change of the CM a few months before the elections is a clear admission of the fact that the BJP government was a complete failure. The people of Tripura will teach BJP a lesson in 2023," CPI(M) said in a statement.

Rajib Banerjee, Trinamool's Tripura in charge said that people are fed up with the misrule and false promises of the BJP and would therefore give Mamta Banerjee's party a chance in 2023. "Our leader Mamta Banerjee has already said that TMC will work for Tripura the way it has done in Bengal. People of Tripura has already taken a decision and are waiting for elections," he said.